Bill of Materials
Every component needed to build our autonomous Dobsonian telescope. Interested in donating a part? Contact us.
Total Parts
54
Estimated Budget
$1,706–$2,593
Donated
1/ 54
Still Needed
53/ 54
| Part | Specification | Qty | Category | Est. Cost | Status | Donated By |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary Mirror Generously donated — the heart of our telescope | 254mm (10") f/4.48 parabolic | 1 | Optics | Donated | Donated | Pacific Holographic |
Secondary Mirror | 70mm minor axis elliptical flat | 1 | Optics | $35–55 | Needed | — |
Spider + Secondary Holder | 4-vane spider with adjustable holder | 1 | Optics | $25–40 | Needed | — |
Focuser | 1.25" Crayford-style dual-speed | 1 | Optics | $80–120 | Needed | — |
Flocking Material Lines the upper tube assembly to reduce stray light | Self-adhesive black velour | 1 | Optics | $15–25 | Needed | — |
Cabinet-Grade Plywood Mirror box, rocker box, and ground board | 3/4" Baltic birch plywood sheets | 1 | Structure | $40–55 | Needed | — |
Ground Board | 3/4" plywood, 20" diameter | 1 | Structure | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Aluminum Tubes Upper tube assembly truss structure | 1" OD × 0.058" wall truss poles | 8 | Structure | $30–45 | Needed | — |
Strut Connectors | CNC aluminum clamp blocks | 16 | Structure | $25–35 | Needed | — |
T-Nuts | 1/4-20 pronged T-nuts | 16 | Structure | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Dowel Pins | 3/8" steel alignment pins | 16 | Structure | $3–5 | Needed | — |
Hardware Box | Assorted bolts, nuts, washers | 1 | Structure | $15–20 | Needed | — |
Wood Glue + Finish | Titebond III + polyurethane | 1 | Structure | $15–20 | Needed | — |
Paint | Flat black interior, satin exterior | 1 | Structure | $8–12 | Needed | — |
PTFE Altitude Pads Smooth altitude motion on side bearings | 1" × 2" virgin PTFE | 4 | Bearings | $8–12 | Needed | — |
PTFE Azimuth Pads | 1.5" × 2" virgin PTFE | 3 | Bearings | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Ebony Star Laminate Low-friction bearing surface | Wilsonart Ebony Star surface | 1 | Bearings | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Pivot Bolt | 3/8"-16 × 3" stainless steel | 1 | Bearings | $3–5 | Needed | — |
Aluminum Angle Stock | 1" × 1" × 1/8" 6061 aluminum | 1 | Mirror Cell | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Collimation Bolts | 1/4"-20 × 4" with knobs | 3 | Mirror Cell | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Flotation Triangles Supports mirror without distortion | CNC aluminum 9-point flotation | 3 | Mirror Cell | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Mirror Clips | Spring-loaded retaining clips | 3 | Mirror Cell | $5–8 | Needed | — |
RTV Silicone | GE Silicone II clear | 1 | Mirror Cell | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Rear Cooling Fan Accelerates mirror thermal equilibrium | 80mm 12V DC brushless | 1 | Mirror Cell | $8–12 | Needed | — |
Side Ventilation Fan | 60mm 12V DC brushless | 1 | Mirror Cell | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Raspberry Pi 4 Main computer — runs tracking, imaging, and web server | Model B 4GB RAM | 1 | Electronics | $55–75 | Needed | — |
MicroSD Card | 64GB Class 10 A2 | 1 | Electronics | $8–12 | Needed | — |
Pi Power Supply | USB-C 5V 3A official PSU | 1 | Electronics | $10–15 | Needed | — |
NEMA 23 Stepper (Altitude) | 1.8° 1.2 N·m bipolar | 1 | Electronics | $25–40 | Needed | — |
NEMA 23 Stepper (Azimuth) | 1.8° 1.2 N·m bipolar | 1 | Electronics | $25–40 | Needed | — |
NEMA 17 Stepper (Focus) | 1.8° 0.4 N·m bipolar | 1 | Electronics | $12–18 | Needed | — |
TMC2209 Stepper Drivers Ultra-quiet StealthChop for vibration-free tracking | Silent stepper drivers | 3 | Electronics | $15–24 | Needed | — |
GT2 Timing Belts + Pulleys | 6mm GT2 belt + 20T/60T pulleys | 2 | Electronics | $25–40 | Needed | — |
12V Power Supply | 12V 10A switching PSU | 1 | Electronics | $20–30 | Needed | — |
Buck Converter | 12V → 5V 3A DC-DC | 1 | Electronics | $8–12 | Needed | — |
Inline Fuse Holder | 15A blade fuse holder | 1 | Electronics | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Terminal Block | 12-position barrier strip | 1 | Electronics | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Bulk Capacitors | 100µF 25V electrolytic | 3 | Electronics | $3–5 | Needed | — |
TVS Diodes | 15V bidirectional TVS | 2 | Electronics | $2–4 | Needed | — |
Wiring Kit | 22AWG silicone wire assortment | 1 | Electronics | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Limit Switches | Micro limit switch with lever | 4 | Electronics | $5–8 | Needed | — |
MOSFETs PWM fan speed control | IRLZ44N logic-level N-channel | 2 | Electronics | $3–5 | Needed | — |
Pull-up Resistors | 10kΩ 1/4W | 4 | Electronics | $1–2 | Needed | — |
Debounce Capacitors | 100nF ceramic | 4 | Electronics | $1–2 | Needed | — |
Flyback Diodes | 1N4007 rectifier | 2 | Electronics | $1–2 | Needed | — |
ZWO ASI120MC-S High-sensitivity planetary and deep-sky imaging | 1.2MP color CMOS, USB 3.0 | 1 | Camera | $100–150 | Needed | — |
T-Ring Adapter | M42 to 1.25" nosepiece | 1 | Camera | $15–20 | Needed | — |
USB 3.0 Cable | Active 5m USB 3.0 extension | 1 | Camera | $10–15 | Needed | — |
Eyepiece Visual observing at star parties | 25mm Plössl 1.25" | 1 | Accessories | $20–50 | Needed | — |
Finder Scope | Red-dot or 6×30 optical | 1 | Accessories | $20–40 | Needed | — |
Light Shroud Blocks stray light between UTA and mirror box | Nylon ripstop fabric tube | 1 | Accessories | $15–25 | Needed | — |
Collimation Tool | Cheshire + sight tube combo | 1 | Accessories | $15–30 | Needed | — |
Dew Heater Strip Prevents dew on secondary mirror | Flexible resistive heater | 1 | Accessories | $15–20 | Needed | — |
Shaft Coupler | 5mm to 8mm flexible coupler | 1 | Accessories | $5–8 | Needed | — |
Primary Mirror
Optics
254mm (10") f/4.48 parabolic
Generously donated — the heart of our telescope
Secondary Mirror
Optics
70mm minor axis elliptical flat
Spider + Secondary Holder
Optics
4-vane spider with adjustable holder
Focuser
Optics
1.25" Crayford-style dual-speed
Flocking Material
Optics
Self-adhesive black velour
Lines the upper tube assembly to reduce stray light
Cabinet-Grade Plywood
Structure
3/4" Baltic birch plywood sheets
Mirror box, rocker box, and ground board
Ground Board
Structure
3/4" plywood, 20" diameter
Aluminum Tubes
Structure
1" OD × 0.058" wall truss poles
Upper tube assembly truss structure
Strut Connectors
Structure
CNC aluminum clamp blocks
T-Nuts
Structure
1/4-20 pronged T-nuts
Dowel Pins
Structure
3/8" steel alignment pins
Hardware Box
Structure
Assorted bolts, nuts, washers
Wood Glue + Finish
Structure
Titebond III + polyurethane
Paint
Structure
Flat black interior, satin exterior
PTFE Altitude Pads
Bearings
1" × 2" virgin PTFE
Smooth altitude motion on side bearings
PTFE Azimuth Pads
Bearings
1.5" × 2" virgin PTFE
Ebony Star Laminate
Bearings
Wilsonart Ebony Star surface
Low-friction bearing surface
Pivot Bolt
Bearings
3/8"-16 × 3" stainless steel
Aluminum Angle Stock
Mirror Cell
1" × 1" × 1/8" 6061 aluminum
Collimation Bolts
Mirror Cell
1/4"-20 × 4" with knobs
Flotation Triangles
Mirror Cell
CNC aluminum 9-point flotation
Supports mirror without distortion
Mirror Clips
Mirror Cell
Spring-loaded retaining clips
RTV Silicone
Mirror Cell
GE Silicone II clear
Rear Cooling Fan
Mirror Cell
80mm 12V DC brushless
Accelerates mirror thermal equilibrium
Side Ventilation Fan
Mirror Cell
60mm 12V DC brushless
Raspberry Pi 4
Electronics
Model B 4GB RAM
Main computer — runs tracking, imaging, and web server
MicroSD Card
Electronics
64GB Class 10 A2
Pi Power Supply
Electronics
USB-C 5V 3A official PSU
NEMA 23 Stepper (Altitude)
Electronics
1.8° 1.2 N·m bipolar
NEMA 23 Stepper (Azimuth)
Electronics
1.8° 1.2 N·m bipolar
NEMA 17 Stepper (Focus)
Electronics
1.8° 0.4 N·m bipolar
TMC2209 Stepper Drivers
Electronics
Silent stepper drivers
Ultra-quiet StealthChop for vibration-free tracking
GT2 Timing Belts + Pulleys
Electronics
6mm GT2 belt + 20T/60T pulleys
12V Power Supply
Electronics
12V 10A switching PSU
Buck Converter
Electronics
12V → 5V 3A DC-DC
Inline Fuse Holder
Electronics
15A blade fuse holder
Terminal Block
Electronics
12-position barrier strip
Bulk Capacitors
Electronics
100µF 25V electrolytic
TVS Diodes
Electronics
15V bidirectional TVS
Wiring Kit
Electronics
22AWG silicone wire assortment
Limit Switches
Electronics
Micro limit switch with lever
MOSFETs
Electronics
IRLZ44N logic-level N-channel
PWM fan speed control
Pull-up Resistors
Electronics
10kΩ 1/4W
Debounce Capacitors
Electronics
100nF ceramic
Flyback Diodes
Electronics
1N4007 rectifier
ZWO ASI120MC-S
Camera
1.2MP color CMOS, USB 3.0
High-sensitivity planetary and deep-sky imaging
T-Ring Adapter
Camera
M42 to 1.25" nosepiece
USB 3.0 Cable
Camera
Active 5m USB 3.0 extension
Eyepiece
Accessories
25mm Plössl 1.25"
Visual observing at star parties
Finder Scope
Accessories
Red-dot or 6×30 optical
Light Shroud
Accessories
Nylon ripstop fabric tube
Blocks stray light between UTA and mirror box
Collimation Tool
Accessories
Cheshire + sight tube combo
Dew Heater Strip
Accessories
Flexible resistive heater
Prevents dew on secondary mirror
Shaft Coupler
Accessories
5mm to 8mm flexible coupler
Want to help us get these parts?
Whether it's a financial contribution, an in-kind donation, or lending us workshop space, every bit helps bring this telescope to life.